Sectional hot top



Dec. 30, 1947- L. D. wobowoRTl-l 2,433,803

I SECTIONAL HOT TOP Filed June 22, 1945 INVENTOR: LflUE/N flwoapwafim,

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I Patented Dec. 30, 1947 SECTIONAL HOT TOP Laurin D.

Woodworth, Youngstown, Ohio, assignor to Carnegie-Illinois Steel Corporation, a corporation of New Jersey Application June 22, 1945, Serial No. 600,985

7 Claims.

This invention relates to a sectional hot top for ingot molds or th like. One-piece refractory hot top are most commonly used at present and manufacturing limitations result in variations of up to 1 inches in inside dimensions of molds of the same design. Other factors which affect the size of the molds are differences in temperature of the mold prior to casting and changes in the mold as it becomes worn. Because of this variation of size, and because of the possibility of metal splashes of previous pourings adhering to the inside top edges of the mold, it is necessary that the outer dimensions of the one-piece refractory top be appreciably smaller than the nominal inside dimensions of the mold on which it is placed. This results in a peripheral clearance of about /2 to inch all around between tween the mold and the hot top, or in some cases, the clearance is greater on one side than another. In pouring an ingot the liquid steel may rise into this peripheral space to form metallic fins which are very objectionable, especially on three-high blooming mill where they may spread out in rolling and catch on the mill guides, thus causing considerable damage to the equipment. In order to prevent the formation of such fins when using one-piece refractory hot tops, the peripheral clearanc is commonly filled with plastic refractory material such as clay, but this is objectionable because it is a laborious hand job which is not alway efliciently done so that.

fins occur from time to time.

It is an object of my invention to provide a sectional hot top which eliminates peripheral V clearance.

These and other objects will be more apparent after referring to the following specification and attached drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the hot top in place on a mold;

Figure 2 is an end view of the assembled hot top with the mold removed;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the side slab of the hot top;

Figure 4 is an elevation of the slab of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line V-V of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a top plan view of the end slab of the hot top;

Figure '2 is an elevation of the slab of Fi ure 6;

and

Figure 8 is an end view thereof.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the reference numeral 2 indicates theupper part of the mold is shown as smooth, it may have any desired contour. The hot top consists of two side slabs 4 and two end slabs 6 located between the side slabs. The side slabs 4 have their outside faces 8 of the same contour as the interior of the mold. The ends of the slab 4 have flanges l0 thereon, which are narrower at the top than at the bottom to form a wedge surface I 2 thereon. Also, as best shown in Figure 3, the face of the wedge surface I! is arranged on an angle l4. The upper part of the outside surface 8 is provided with a flange IS. The end slabs 6 have their outside faces 18 of the same contour as the interior of the mold and the top of the slab 6 is substantially wider than the bottom in order to form a wedge surface which is of substantially the same taper as wedgesurface l2. The face of the wedge surface 20 is also arranged at an angle 22 as shown in Figure 6.

In assembling the hot top on the mold, side slabs 4 are placed against opposite sides of the mold with their flanges l0 extending around the corner of the mold and along the adjacent sides of the mold with the wedge surfaces 12 on one slab facing the wedge surfaces of the other slab. The flanges i6 rest on top of the mold and hold the slabs 4 in place. The end slabs 6 ar then wedged in place, the taper of the wedge surfaces i2 and 20 forcing the side slabs 4 apart and the angled surfaces I4 and 22 forcing the slabs 6 apart so that the bottom of all the slabs contact the mold walls. In this manner, the peripheral clearance is eliminated except for a very small portion at each corner which is reduced to a minimum by having the top of the wedge surface i! as close to the outside surface 8 as possible. This small amount of clearance may be filled with clay to eliminate the possibility of any fin forming in the ingot.

While one embodiment of my invention has been shown and described, it will be apparent that other adaptations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A hot top for a mold comprising a pair of slabs of refractory material, each having two sides, two ends, a top and bottom, a wedge surface on each end of each slab, said wedgesurface tapering from the bottom of the slab inwardly toward the body of the slab, means for supporting the slabs in spaced apart relationship on the mold to provide spaces which are wider at the top than at the bottom, a slab of of a rectangular mold. While the inside surface refractory material located in each of said spaces, a wedge surface on each end of each of said last named slabs engaging the wedge surfaces of the first named slabs to lock the slabs in place against the sides of the mold.

2. A hot top for a mold comprising a pair of slabs of refractory material, each having two sides, two ends, a top and bottom, the bottoms of said slabs being substantially wider than the tops to form a wedge surface on each end, means for supporting the slabs in spaced apart relationship on the mold to provide spaces which are wider at the top than at the bottom, a slab of refractory material located in each of said spaces, the tops of said last named slabs being substantially wider than the bottoms to form a wedge surface on each end, said wedge surfaces of the first named slabs contacting the wedge surfaces of the last named slabs to lock all the slabs in place against the sides of the mold.

3. A hot top for a mold according to claim 2 in which the wedge surfaces of the first named slabs are at an angle with the sides of the slabs so that the spaces between the slabs are wider on the outside than on the inside, and the wedge surfaces of the last named slabs have a corresponding angle.

4. A hot top for a mold comprising a pair of slabs of refractory'material, each having two 'sides, two "ends, a top and bottom. a flange on each end of the slabs, the bottoms of said flanges being substantially longer than the tops to form a wedge surface on the end thereof, means for supporting the slabs in spaced apart relationship on' the mold to provide spaces which are wider at the top than at the bottom, a slab of refractory material located in each of said spaces, the tops of said last named slabs being substantially wider than the bottoms to form a wedge surface thereon, said wedge surfaces of the first named slabs contacting the adjacent wedgesurfaces of the last namedslabs to lock the slab in place against the sides of the mold.

5. A hot top for a mold comprising a pair of slabs of refractory material, each having two sides, two ends, a top and bottom, a flange on each end of each slab, the bottoms of said slabs being substantially longer than the tops to form a wedge surface on each end, the outer portion of said flanges being shorter than the inner portion thereof to form a bevel on the wedge surface, means for supporting the slabs in spaced apart relationship on the mold to provide spaces which are wider at the top than at the bottom, a slab of refractory material located in each of said spaces, the tops of said slabs being substantially wider than the bottoms to form a wedge surface on each end, and the outer surface of the slabs being wider than the inner surface to form a bevel on the wedge surface, the wedge surfaces on each end of the first named slabs contacting the adjacent wedge surfaces of the last named slabs to lock the slabs in place against the sides of the mold.

6. A hot top for a rectangular mold comprising a pair of slabs of refractory material, each having two sides, two ends, a top and bottom. means for supporting the slabs on opposite sides of the mold with a space between adjacent ends of the slabs, a wedge surface on each end of each slab, said Wedge surfaces tapering downwardly and inwardly toward the opposite slab, a slab of refractory material located in each of the spaces between the first named pair of slabs, a wedge surface on each end of each of the last named slabs, said last named wedge surfaces tapering downwardly and inwardly away from said first named slabs, said wedge surfaces cooperating to lock the slabs in place and force them outwardly toward the walls of the mold.

'7. A hot top for a rectangular mold comprising a pair of slabs of refractory material, each having two sides, two ends, a top and bottom, means for supporting the slabs on opposite sides of the mold with a space between adjacent ends of the slabs, a flange on each end of each slab extending around the corner and along the adjacent side of the mold, a wedge surface on the end of each of the flanges, said wedge surface tapering downwardly and inwardly toward the opposite slab, a slab of refractory material located in each of the spaces between the first named pair of slabs, a wedge surface on each end of each of the last named slabs, said last named wedge surfaces tapering downwardly and inwardly away from said first named slabs, said wedge surfaces cooperating to lock the slabs in place and force them outwardly toward the walls of the mold.

LAURIN D. WOODWORTI-I.

, REFERENCES CITED I The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,258,209 Gathmann Mar. 5, 1918 1,621,402 Gathmann Mar. 15, 1927 1,804,205 Charman May 5, 1931 

